posted 11-22-2013 01:41 AM
Is there any interest in setting up a database for stolen or lost space collectibles similar to the "lost art" directory?

Several other eBay sellers and I have lost about 100 packages in the past four months alone to the U.S. (mainly) and are wondering what's going to happen to these things in New York (where the trace is lost). I assume they are trashed, but who knows...

Maybe Robert can enlighten us if that's is an option or if there are any legal restrictions opening such a database which all space collectors can profit from.

PhilipMember

Posts: 4895From: Brussels, BelgiumRegistered: Jan 2001

posted 11-22-2013 01:25 PM
A good idea but lots of issues here, where and who will host it? Which DB software will you choose?

How will you screen and check "collectors" requesting access to the database?

albatronMember

Posts: 2152From: Stuart, Florida, USARegistered: Jun 2000

posted 11-22-2013 07:24 PM
I agree, even within the US things get "lost". I'm missing a NASA glossy of the Skylab space station in orbit, signed by the 9, that I sent trying to add back up crews on.

For one thing.

spacemanMember

Posts: 938From: Walsall, West Midlands, UKRegistered: Dec 2002

posted 11-25-2013 05:15 PM
With the post office in the U.K (Royal mail) if an item is lost after 20-30 days they will compensate. So long as you have insured it and can prove value.

For traders they only offer the price you paid for the item upon proof including receipts.

Most of the lost mail ends up in an auction and could go for peanuts. Do you still have rights? retain ownership? I doubt it. Proof of ownership could get very sticky, that's just one aspect of it. By putting it in the mail you have probably signed away many of the ownership rights. I'm no legal eagle but someone could now legally own something you put on a database as 'lost'... and photos they just shred them!!

Robert PearlmanEditor

Posts: 28200From: Houston, TXRegistered: Nov 1999

posted 11-25-2013 05:26 PM

quote:Originally posted by spaceflori:Maybe Robert can enlighten us if that's is an option or if there are any legal restrictions opening such a database which all space collectors can profit from.

"Stolen" is a strong word that carries legal consequences. At least in the U.S., until the alleged thief has been found guilty of such in a court of law, any published suggestion of their alleged wrongdoing could be (mis)construed as defamation.

So unless the proposed database is limited only to items pursued through the legal system first, I would be wary of labeling any item as "stolen."

"Missing," of course, is a different matter altogether, but I am not sure how effective a database of missing items would be, given the various reasons for which an item could go missing. Certainly, if truly lost in the mail system, a database is not going to help the situation.

For now, I'm open to members posting "Missing" notices as part of the Opinions & Advice forum, if so desired. If the need is large enough and the results favorable, then perhaps a dedicated forum would have merit.

mode1charlieMember

Posts: 507From: Honolulu, HI, USARegistered: Sep 2010

posted 11-25-2013 11:22 PM
Seems to me that having a registry of reputable space collectors would be one way to help ensure reliability and honesty as to authenticity, provenance, and transparency of any transactions between members. I think there was some discussion of this a couple of years ago here. One model might be the International Meteorite Collectors Association (IMCA). To become a member, you have to have recommendations from two existing members (among other things).